Abstract
Purpose: :
Retinal Function Imager® (RFI, Optical Imaging Ltd.) is a novel device offering a noninvasive diagnostic approach to retinal function assessment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical latanoprost on the retinal microcirculation using RFI in healthy volunteers.
Methods: :
Five healthy volunteers (mean age, 32.5 years) were recruited and microcirculation velocities at perifovea were quantitatively analyzed by RFI. Intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP) were also measured. In a single-blind trial, all measurement was done before and after the instillation of latanoprost once a day for 2 weeks.
Results: :
One week instillation of latanoprost decreased IOP from 13.0 ± 4.3 mmHg to 10.0± 2.2 mmHg (p=0.05). Retinal arterial blood flow velocity significantly increased at 2 weeks after instillation of latanoprost (from 1.93± 2.0 mm/sec to 2.35± 0.30mm/sec, p=0.04). Retinal venous blood flow velocity also increased (from 1.85±0.30 mm/sec to 2.07±0.24 mm/sec, p=0.08). There was no significant difference in BP and ocular perfusion pressure before and after instillation of latanoprost.
Conclusions: :
Our data showed that topical latanoprost significantly increased arterial blood flow velocity at perifovea in human eyes. These results suggested that RFI might be useful to evaluate blood flow velocity in the glaucoma patients, to assess the efficacy of topical glaucoma agent.
Keywords: imaging/image analysis: non-clinical • drug toxicity/drug effects • macula/fovea